Say What?

There's not much use in bringing a "new politics" to Washington if no one can understand it. A GQ glossary

empathy deficit
HOW IT'S USED: "There's a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit," says Obama. "But I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit."
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS: There are a lot of selfish sons of bitches out there.

social Darwinism
HOW IT'S USED: Says Obama, "In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society. But in our past, there has been another term for it—social Darwinism, every man and woman for him or herself."
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS: Republicans are selfish sons of bitches.

postideological
HOW IT'S USED: "He might be the first postideological candidate," says Democratic congressman Rahm Emanuel.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS: He'll alienate colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

Audacity of Hope
HOW IT'S USED: The title of Obama's latest book, which describes how our nation might recapture the American Dream.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS: I went from coke-snorting deadbeat to editor of the Harvard Law Review to presidential candidate in just thirty years! And you can do it, too!

Paris Hilton tax break
HOW IT'S USED: Obama's term for the Republicans' plan to eliminate the estate tax.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS: She can have all the midget parties she wants and still fork over 22 percent of her inheritance for us poorer folk.